KU’s Tony Pierson looking for more ways to help a struggling offense

Tony Pierson always envisioned his senior season going a certain way. For one, he was finally going to be healthy, the lingering effects from a head injury all but gone.

Pierson, an East St. Louis, Ill., native, spent his junior year adjusting to playing receiver, and he was encouraged by a new spread offense. He was confident that Kansas — after a lost three years — would come together under a new quarterback.

“I envisioned maybe having 700 (yards) receiving and 500 rushing,” Pierson said. “But it’s not looking good so far. But I’m just going to keep on working it every week and try to reach (those) goals.”

In a 23-0 loss to Texas on Saturday, Pierson, a dual-threat speedster, finished with just four touches — three catches for 31 yards and one rushing attempt for three yards. It was, to be fair, a microcosm of the Jayhawks’ struggles.

On the day, quarterback Montell Cozart completed just 12 of 31 passes and all of the KU pass-catchers would have preferred to have been more involved. But Pierson has been something of a litmus test during the Jayhawks’ 2-2 start. When Pierson makes a big play, the Jayhawks are 2-0. When his involvement is limited, they lose.

“The priority is to get the ball in the hands of the guys that can make plays,” KU offensive coordinator John Reagan said this week. “And so however we can do that is what we’re going to do. And we’re going to keep trying to do that.”

Reagan recoils at offering anything that would be considered specific about game plans or schemes. But earlier this week, he suggested there were other variables at play in the passing-game struggles.

“I can promise you,” Reagan said, “from the perspective of the outside, it’s that we never give anybody enough touches. I can also promise you there’s a reality that most people couldn’t and don’t understand.”

Now comes the next opportunity, a Saturday matchup at West Virginia. A rematch of Kansas’ victory last season in Lawrence, it will be the first game under interim coach Clint Bowen.

Pierson, who spends most of his time lined up at receiver, enters the weekend with 12 receptions for 155 yards in four games. He’s also rushed seven times for 124 yards, averaging 17.7 yards per carry.

The numbers are inflated by some big plays, of course, but that’s partially the point. In a season-opening victory against Southeast Missouri, Pierson had a 67-yard touchdown reception. Two weeks later, he opened a victory over Central Michigan with a 74-yard touchdown run. In the game in between — a 41-3 debacle at Duke — Pierson had just two touches.

“I feel like Montell probably just needs more time,” Pierson said, “and (the receivers) just need to run better routes and get open.”

For Pierson, who missed nearly half the 2013 season while battling concussion issues, the offensive struggles have been frustrating. The Jayhawks rank last in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging just 15.2 points per game. And four games into the season, Pierson thinks he can do more to help. The Texas loss only underscored his thoughts.

“I feel like they didn’t do nothing to take me away,” Pierson said. “I just feel like none of the plays were being called my way. That’s all.”

This story was originally published October 1, 2014 at 5:33 PM with the headline "KU’s Tony Pierson looking for more ways to help a struggling offense."